L'Express (France)
Encyclopedia
L'Express is a French
weekly news magazine. When founded in 1953 during the First Indochina War
, it was modelled on the US
magazine TIME
.
, future president of the Radical Party, and Françoise Giroud
, who had earlier edited ELLE
and went on to become France's first Minister of Women's Affairs in 1974 and Minister of Culture
in 1976. The magazine was supportive of the policies of Pierre Mendès-France
in Indochina, and in general had a left-of-centre orientation. The magazine opposed the war in Algeria, and especially the use of torture
.. In March 1958, as a result of an article of Jean-Paul Sartre
reviewing the book La Question
by Henri Alleg
, the magazine was prevented from being published by the French Government. In order to resume publication, L'Express had to print a new issue without the incriminated article. François Mauriac
was a regular contributor with his Bloc-Notes column but left L'Express when Charles De Gaulle
returned to power.
In 1964, a number of journalists, including Jean Daniel
and André Gorz
, quit L'Express to found Le Nouvel Observateur
. Servan-Schreiber turned l'Express into a less politically engaged publication, and the circulation rose from 150,000 to 500,000 copies in 3 years.
In 1971, as a result of Servan-Schreiber's political activities as a deputy of the Radical Party, nine journalists of L'Express, including Claude Imbert, left the magazine and created Le Point
to counter what they perceived as the "current breed of French intellectuals in the press and elsewhere, with their leftist dogmas and complacent nihilism."..
In 1977, Servan-Schreiber sold his magazine to Jimmy Goldsmith. Jean-François Revel
became director in October 1978.
He was replaced by Yves Cuau in May 1981. In 1987, L'Express was sold to C. G. E.. Yann de l'Ecotais became the new director, until 1994 when he was replaced by Christine Ockrent
. In 1995, L'Express was sold to CEP communications, a filial of Havas
. Denis Jeambar
became the new director.
In 1998, after Vivendi took control of Havas, the magazine returned under its control. After the collapse of Vivendi, L'Express was sold in 2002 to Socpresse
(80% owned by Dassault Group
). It has been bought in 2006 by long term partner Roularta. In 2008 L'Express reaches 2,3 million readers each week through its magazine and nearly 2 million internet users every month.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
weekly news magazine. When founded in 1953 during the First Indochina War
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
, it was modelled on the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
magazine TIME
Time
Time is a part of the measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify rates of change such as the motions of objects....
.
History
The magazine was co-founded by Jean-Jacques Servan-SchreiberJean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber
Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber, often referred to as JJSS was a French journalist and politician. He co-founded L'Express in 1953 with Françoise Giroud, and then went on to become president of the Radical Party in 1971...
, future president of the Radical Party, and Françoise Giroud
Françoise Giroud
Françoise Giroud, born France Gourdji was a French journalist, screenwriter, writer and politician.-Biography:...
, who had earlier edited ELLE
Elle
Elle may refer to:*Elle, Central African Republic*Elle , a fashion publication*Ellé, a river in France*Elle , a female given name*Elle , a Sri Lankan game similar to baseball*Ælle of Sussex, a Saxon king...
and went on to become France's first Minister of Women's Affairs in 1974 and Minister of Culture
Minister of culture
A culture minister is a Cabinet position in some governments responsible for protecting the national heritage of a country and promoting cultural expression....
in 1976. The magazine was supportive of the policies of Pierre Mendès-France
Pierre Mendès-France
Pierre Mendès France was a French politician. He descended from a Portuguese Jewish family that moved to France in the sixteenth century.-Third Republic and World War II:...
in Indochina, and in general had a left-of-centre orientation. The magazine opposed the war in Algeria, and especially the use of torture
Torture during the Algerian War
Elements of the French Armed Forces as well as of the opposing Algerian National Liberation Front made use of torture during the Algerian War of Independence , creating an ongoing public controversy. Pierre Vidal-Naquet estimates that there were "possibly hundreds of thousands of instances of...
.. In March 1958, as a result of an article of Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul Charles Aymard Sartre was a French existentialist philosopher, playwright, novelist, screenwriter, political activist, biographer, and literary critic. He was one of the leading figures in 20th century French philosophy, particularly Marxism, and was one of the key figures in literary...
reviewing the book La Question
La Question
La Question is a book by Henri Alleg, published in 1958. It is notorious for precisely describing the methods of torture used by French paratroopers during the Algerian War from the point of view of a victim...
by Henri Alleg
Henri Alleg
Henri Alleg , born Henri Salem, is a French-Algerian journalist, director of the "Alger républicain" newspaper, and a member of the French Communist Party...
, the magazine was prevented from being published by the French Government. In order to resume publication, L'Express had to print a new issue without the incriminated article. François Mauriac
François Mauriac
François Mauriac was a French author; member of the Académie française ; laureate of the Nobel Prize in Literature . He was awarded the Grand Cross of the Légion d'honneur .-Biography:...
was a regular contributor with his Bloc-Notes column but left L'Express when Charles De Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
returned to power.
In 1964, a number of journalists, including Jean Daniel
Jean Daniel
Jean Daniel, is an Algerian-born French-Jewish journalist and author. He is the founder and executive editor of Le Nouvel Observateur weekly.Daniel is a Jewish humanist in the venerable tradition of the French Left...
and André Gorz
André Gorz
André Gorz , pen name of Gérard Horst, born Gerhard Hirsch, also known by his pen name Michel Bosquet, was an Austrian and French social philosopher. Also a journalist, he co-founded Le Nouvel Observateur weekly in 1964...
, quit L'Express to found Le Nouvel Observateur
Le Nouvel Observateur
Le Nouvel Observateur is a weekly French newsmagazine. Based in Paris, it is the most prominent French general information magazine in terms of audience and circulation ....
. Servan-Schreiber turned l'Express into a less politically engaged publication, and the circulation rose from 150,000 to 500,000 copies in 3 years.
In 1971, as a result of Servan-Schreiber's political activities as a deputy of the Radical Party, nine journalists of L'Express, including Claude Imbert, left the magazine and created Le Point
Le Point
Le Point is a French weekly news magazine. It was founded in 1972 by a group of journalists who had, one year earlier, left the editorial team of L'Express, which was then owned by Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber, a député of the Parti Radical...
to counter what they perceived as the "current breed of French intellectuals in the press and elsewhere, with their leftist dogmas and complacent nihilism."..
In 1977, Servan-Schreiber sold his magazine to Jimmy Goldsmith. Jean-François Revel
Jean-François Revel
Jean-François Revel was a French politician, journalist, author, prolific philosopher and member of the Académie française from June 1998...
became director in October 1978.
He was replaced by Yves Cuau in May 1981. In 1987, L'Express was sold to C. G. E.. Yann de l'Ecotais became the new director, until 1994 when he was replaced by Christine Ockrent
Christine Ockrent
Christine Ockrent is a Belgian journalist whose career has principally centered on French television.Daughter of Belgian diplomat Charles Ockrent, she was born in Brussels, Belgium. She graduated from Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris in 1965. She worked for American television and...
. In 1995, L'Express was sold to CEP communications, a filial of Havas
Havas
Havas is the second largest advertising group in France and is a "Global advertising and communications services group" and the sixth-largest global advertising and communications group worldwide, operating on the communications consulting market through three main operational divisions:*Euro RSCG...
. Denis Jeambar
Denis Jeambar
Denis Jeambar is a French journalist.-Biography:Having started his career at Paris-Match in 1970, he joined Le Point in 1972, rising to chief of its political staff in 1981. In 1988 he became editor-in-chief, as well as editor-in-chief of the political and cultural staffs...
became the new director.
In 1998, after Vivendi took control of Havas, the magazine returned under its control. After the collapse of Vivendi, L'Express was sold in 2002 to Socpresse
Socpresse
Socpresse was a French corporation which controlled the conservative daily newspaper Le Figaro, the weekly magazine L'Express, 40% of the weekly Le Journal du Dimanche, Valeurs Actuelles, and the football club FC Nantes. The company was acquired by the Dassault in September 2006...
(80% owned by Dassault Group
Dassault Group
Dassault Group, is a French group of companies led by Serge Dassault.Managing directors are Claude Dassault and Olivier Costa De Beauregard.- Subsidiaries :*Dassault Aviation;...
). It has been bought in 2006 by long term partner Roularta. In 2008 L'Express reaches 2,3 million readers each week through its magazine and nearly 2 million internet users every month.
Journalists who wrote for L'Express
- Raymond AronRaymond AronRaymond-Claude-Ferdinand Aron was a French philosopher, sociologist, journalist and political scientist.He is best known for his 1955 book The Opium of the Intellectuals, the title of which inverts Karl Marx's claim that religion was the opium of the people -- in contrast, Aron argued that in...
- André GorzAndré GorzAndré Gorz , pen name of Gérard Horst, born Gerhard Hirsch, also known by his pen name Michel Bosquet, was an Austrian and French social philosopher. Also a journalist, he co-founded Le Nouvel Observateur weekly in 1964...
- Franz-Olivier Giesbert
- Christophe Barbier